An Ultra-Rare Confidence Boost
by cypsiman2
Summary: When Kourin reflects on her fight with Daigo, Misaki ends up giving her an unexpected Ultra-Rare boost of confidence. Misaki/Kourin.


**An Ultra-Rare Confidence Boost**

* * *

It had been a few days since the School Festival, where the Student Council had not only forced the Cardfight Club to put on a play, but then did everything in its power to sabotage the event, from giving them a woefully inadequate budget to deliberately misinforming them on the times for practice and even the performance itself; Misaki Tokura did not understand the Student Council's actions or motivations, she merely dealt with them as best she could along with her friends. Today, she'd arrived at the clubroom early, so early that she figured she'd be the first one there, and so was surprised at the fact that Kourin Tatsunagi was already there; all throughout the time leading up to the School Festival Kourin had been busy with her duties as a member of the idol group Ultra-Rare, so Misaki figured that she must have negotiated more time for the Cardfight Club with Takuto. Kourin didn't look up, her attention was focused on the cards arranged on the table before her. "This is accurate, isn't it?" Kourin said. "This was how everything was in my final turn in the fight against Daigo, yes?" Kourin's voice was direct and forceful as always, but there was an undercurrent that Misaki recognized in herself.

"Yes, that's exactly how it was." Misaki's eidetic memory meant that she was able to perfectly recall anything saw, and all memories associated with what she saw; for a long time her memories with Vanguard were sorrowful ones, but now she'd made many joyful memories to take their place.

"That's what I was afraid of." She pointed down at Palamedes. "If I'd used this to destroy his rear-guard Gordon," she tapped on the other card in question, "He wouldn't have been able to intercept, and I could have won." Kourin let out a hissing sigh.

"Misplays happen; even I don't always make the right move." Memories of her first match against Asaka, and with them memories of her second fight against the Assassin of AL4 and the victory therein.

Kourin harrumphed. "So you say, but as of late it seems like the weight of misplays has been overbalanced on my end; Naoki only made it into the club because I'd misplayed when he'd challenged me, and again here…"

Misaki walked over to "Daigo's" side of the table, picked up the cards and looked them over. "You bought these at Cardshop Psy?" Kourin nodded. "Very good." Misaki took out a rank 0 card and put it face-down on the Vanguard Circle and started shuffling the deck.

"You know that won't prove anything; even with your skill and talent, that's not a deck you're familiar with."

"I hadn't used my Genesis Deck before my fight with Aichi." Misaki put just a little edge into her voice, and seeing Kourin's nostrils flare and her eyebrows arch showed that she'd played her first card right.

"All right then, since you want this so much, I will give it to you." Kourin took her rank 0 card and put it onto the Vanguard circle shuffled her deck, and together they drew their cards. Kourin opted to mulligan two of her cards, while Misaki did so with three. "But I'll take the first turn."

The two young women looked at one another, spoke together. "Stand up, Vanguard!"

* * *

Misaki's Vanguard was Starting Legend Ambrosius, and Kourin had no trouble picturing the white-haired and red-eyed young man on the card, blades held up against the pointed pauldrons of his armor; he also had two effects, the first allowing Misaki to call him back to the Rear Guard when ridden by a Royal Paladin, and then at a later time she could put it back into the soul and discard one card to draw one card, which would improve her ability to get the cards she needed for her strategy. "Yuri Usui told me the most important thing is to picture your victory in your mind; have you?"

Kourin looked down at her starting Vanguard, Dreaming Jewel Knight Tiffany; a pale haired elf with a far too large blade for its own good, Tiffany was another card that could be called to the Rear Guard after being ridden by a Royal Paladin, and like Ambrosius, it could be put back into the soul at a later date to increase the attack power of two rearguard Jewel Knights and increase their attack power by 3000 until the end of the turn. In other words, the image of her victory was one of overwhelming power burning away all of Misaki's defenses…burning? Kourin smiled, she didn't realize she had such a complete picture in her head after all; now to see if she could make it real. "I ride Tiffany with Regret Jewel Knight Ulien and call Tiffany to the Rear Circle behind Ulien, and end my turn." They both saw it, the battle field on Cray, the flash of light as her avatar claimed the body of a more powerful warrior; Kourin wondered if Misaki had any idea that Cray was a real world, that when Aichi and Ren had fallen under the power of Psyqualia that they'd been deciding the fate of a world that cared nothing at all what happened to their chosen arbiters?

No, of course not; Kourin hardly believed it herself, and she and her sisters had projected themselves to Cray itself. "I stand and draw." Misaki said, her face showing no sign of any such concerns, her will focused entirely on winning the game before her. "I ride Ambrosius with Little Sage Marron." A studious young woman took Ambrosius's place, who bowed gracefully and stepped behind Marron. "Now I attack with Marron, and boost with Ambrosius for a total attack power of 12000." A cautious start, keeping most of her hand instead of mounting a larger offensive.

"No Guard." Even under the worst possible turn…

"Drive check." Misaki turned over the top card of her deck, Bringer of Goodluck Epona. "Critical Trigger, I give both the power and the critical to Marron." The spell of the little sage surged with power and hammered into Ulien's body, and while the damage was considerable, it was nothing to worry about, not at this point.

"Damage check." Kourin turned over the top two cards of her deck, Knight of Silence Gallatin and Dogmatize Jewel Knight Sybill; neither of them had a trigger, which Kourin appreciated; that would improve the odds of her getting those triggers when she'd need them.

"I end my turn." Misaki kept her cards close to her chest. "At least I'll be able to defend myself better."

"I stand and draw." Kourin took her card, eyeing Misaki; most Vanguard Fighters would have been delighted to inflict two damage on their first attack, but Misaki regarded the 10000 shield she got as the better deal…yes, Misaki remembered the contents of her deck, even if Kourin never sat down to show her her cards, she'd fought enough times in view of her that she would have been able to track everything she had. "I now Ride Dogmatize Jewel Knight, Sybill." A toweringly tall woman, a giant took to the field, looking down on the opposition over the rim of her glasses. "I counterblast two," Kourin turned over the two cards in her damage zone, "and search my deck for a Grade 1 or lower Royal Paladin with Jewel Knight in the name and superior call it." Kourin picked up her deck and fanned it out. "I superior call Stinging Jewel Knight Sherrie to the right of Sybilll." The bow-wielding Jewel Knight was just the first to come at Kourin's command, she would hammer down on Misaki and force her to exhaust her hand; she called Knight of Silence Gallatin to the left of Sybill, and Regret Jewel Knight Ulien behind Gallatin. "Finally, I call Jewel Knight Prizme behind Sherrie and activate Prizme's effect, dropping Toypugal to draw one card." Toypugal could be useful down the line, but at present it would be nothing but dead weight in her hand.

Now, now she was ready. "I attack your Vanguard with Gallatin and boost with Ulien for an attack power of 17000." Would Misaki use Epona now?

"No guard." No, of course not. "Damage check." It was Knight of Determination Lamoark, no trigger to worry about yet.

"Now I attack with Sybill and have Tiffany boost for 13000 attack power." If she was going to guard against this, she would need both Epona and something else to be sure.

"No guard." Misaki certainly wasn't afraid to take damage, something Kourin supposed they had in common.

"Drive Check." The corner of her card glowed as she turned it over, a blue light. "Jewel Knight Glitme, I have Gallatin stand and give it the power boost." Even one guard would have forced her to use the power boost on Sybill, making Gallatin's attack easier to defend against; in other words, Misaki felt secure in her position.

"Damage check." Kourin's eyes opened at the sight of Sanctuary Guard Dragon. "You recognize this card, and now you're thinking about the other one still in the deck." Misaki had a small smile on her face. "You're a forceful person and good at projecting your persona, but at times you are easy to read."

"Are you suggesting that Daigo did the same thing?"

Misaki shook her head. "No, he didn't strike me as being that aware of the real you."

Kourin stopped. "I'll have Gallatin attack again, and with the boost from my Stand Trigger that makes for 15000 power this time." Whatever game Misaki was playing at, it would not distract her.

"I guard with Epona." Ah, there it is; to keep her damage down until she could get a Grade 3 onto the field, she would use the cards from her hand to block her remaining attacks.

"Stinging Jewel Knight Sherrie attacks, and between a boost by Prizme and Sherrie's own effect, I have an attack power of 17000." Would it be one card or two that Misaki used?

"I guard with Flogal." Sherrie's arrow was caught by Flogal, denying the attack sufficient force to reach Marron.

"Then I guess I'll end my turn here." Kourin checked the cards in her hand. "By contrast, you're not an easy person to read at all, Misaki."

"Naoki's insistence on calling me Boss Lady would seem to bear that out." Misaki smirked, and Kourin found herself doing the same. "I stand and draw." Kourin felt…she didn't know what it was she'd felt, but it was gone already. "I Ride Battle Flag Knight Constance." Kourin saw her new enemy, a warrior with more power than Sybill on its own, and more importantly, a counterblast that would activate if it successfully hit her Vanguard, hit Sybill. "Now I activate Ambrosius's effect and put it back in the soul to discard Gallatin and draw one card." She gave up Gallatin, a Grade 2; either she already had plenty in her hand already, or she was fishing for a Grade 3. "I call Rainbow Calling Bard behind Constance, and Knight of Truth Gordon to Constance's left." Now there was a card to provoke a reaction in Kourin; Misaki had to have known, given the lead-in to their fight, yet the call was done with hardly a thought at all. "I attack the Vanguard with Gordon."

And now Kourin would bring her picture of victory one step closer to completion. "I intercept with Gallatin." The two warriors sparred until Gallatin collapsed in exhaustion.

"So Gallatin was just a temporary measure." Misaki said in her cool and casual tone. "I attack with Constance and boost with Bard for 15000 attack power." Constance wielded the flag like it was a pole-arm, moving to the rhythm of Bard's song.

"I guard with Jewel Knight Glitme." 10000 shield, Misaki would have to draw a trigger on the drive check for this attack to get through; giving up Tracie would guarantee that the attack would never get through, but even if it proved necessary, it would be an unacceptable loss, her image of victory would not allow it.

"Drive Check." The glow that came from the corner of the card showed that today's fight would not feature Misaki's usual luck regarding Triggers. "Weapons Dealer Govannon, I give the power to Constance and draw one card." Kourin had taken her chance, and now she'd have to deal with the consequences, learn whether she'd misplayed or not yet again.

"Damage check." It was Swordsman of the Explosive Flames Palamades; not the only one in her deck, but considering her image, not a promising sign.

"And now that Constance has hit your Vanguard, I counterblast 2 and Superior Call a Grade 1 Royal Paladin from my deck, Rendgal." She barely had to look before finding the desired unit, calling it to the right side of Constance, and with its effect it would gain 3000 power until the end of the turn, giving it 10000 power and thus enough to attack Sybill on its own. "I now attack with Rendgal."

"No guard." The robotic wolf bit into Sybill's calf. "Damage check." The light shined from the corner of her card, a green light. "Enthusiastic Jewel Knight Polly." Kourin would have preferred the Heal Trigger one step earlier, but taking out one of the flipped over cards in her damage zone was a step in the right direction.

"Now I end my turn."

"I stand and draw." Kourin tried to focus, keep her head in the game and only the game, tried to remind herself that the deck was what mattered, that Misaki was just being a perfect-memory copy of Daigo, but something in the back of her mind kept insisting on something else, not loud enough to be understood but not low enough to be ignored. "I ride Jewel Heart Knight Ashley." She'd gotten out her Grade 3, and thus the chances of her final image becoming reality increased. "I now call Fellowship Jewel Knight Tracie to the left where Gallatin once stood." Misaki showed no surprise at seeing that Kourin's loss was no loss at all, but would that leave her defense enough against the fury of her assault? "I attack with Tracie, and with its own effect and a boost by Ulien, her attack power rises to 19000."

"No guard." The spear found its way home in Constance's armor. "Damage check." It was Pathetic Jewel Knight Olwen, nothing to think about further.

"Ashley attacks and is boosted by Tiffany, achieving an attack power of 18000 with the aid of its own effect." The brilliant saber forged of pure light danced in Ashley's hand.

"No guard." Against a Grade 3's Twin Drive ability, guarding became a risky proposition in the absence of a perfect defense.

"Twin Drive, first check." It was Flashing Jewel Knight Iseult, which just so happened to be such a perfect defense card; Misaki would force her to use it on her next turn, Kourin knew it, her heart pounded at the prospect. What? "Second check." This time it was Blazing Jewel Knight Rachelle. "Critical Trigger, I give the critical to Ashley and the extra power to Sherrie." Ashley pierced though Constance's shoulder, a serious blow.

"Damage check." The first was Ulien, the second was Flogal, a Stand Trigger. "I stand Constance, and give it 5000 power." That gave Constance a total power of 14000, but that wouldn't make a difference, not with her critical trigger already in play.

"Sherrie attacks with a boost from Prizme for a total power of 22000." Would she give up any cards, now that she had 4 damage?"

"No guard." No, Misaki was definitely not the sort of person to fear fighting on the edge, nor was she excited by it; she was a calm and dangerous opponent throughout an entire match, one could not help having their heart pound when facing her. Kourin shook. "Damage check." It was another Constance; would that it had been the second Sanctuary Guard Dragon.

"I end my turn." Now, if only she could get her heart to settle down.

"I stand and draw." There was something majestic in the way Misaki drew her card, something that defied all reason; it wasn't Psyqualia or anything like that, it was much purer. "Guardian of the sacred, protector of the holy realm, channel now the dragon's divine power; I ride White Dragon Knight Pendragon!" Gone was the calm, now came the fury of Misaki's fight. "Limit Break!" A spell circle appeared in the air, and flashed. "I check the top five cards of my deck, and if there is a Rank 3 Royal Paladin among them, I can superior ride it." She picked out one card, shuffled the rest back into her deck. "Haven for the weak, guardian of those who yearn for protection, show your strength beneath the crescent moon's light; I Superior Ride Sanctuary Guard Dragon." Damn! That huge beast was breathing down on Ashley now, on her. "I activate Sanctuary Guard Dragon's effect to discard Little Sage Marron and superior call another Rendgal behind my original Rendgal, and then I call Regret Jewel Knight Ulien behind Gordon." Now Misaki had a full field of Royal Paladins, and despite herself, Kourin found herself gulping. "Gordon attacks and is boosted by Ulien for a total attack power of 15000."

"No guard." She had three damage, she would need at least four for her image to become complete, and ideally wanted five; the sixth though, that had to be avoided at all costs. "Damage check." It was Leading Jewel Knight Salome, which was just fine, she already had the other one in her hand, she'd made sure of that at the start of the fight.

"Limit Break!" Misaki made a motion like her hand was a gun. "For every Grade 1 or below Royal Paladin in my rear guard, Sanctuary Guard Dragon gains 3000 power; I have four, so that's a total increase of 12000. Then I attack and boost with Rainbow Calling Bard, activating its effect and Soul Blasting one card to increase Sanctuary Guard Dragon's attack power to a total of 34000." And there was still the damned Twin-Drive to worry about.

"I guard with Iseult, and I drop Sherrie for a perfect defense." At the very least, any triggers could be dealt with down the line.

"First check." Another Rendgal. "Second check." Another Govannon; by itself not too troublesome, but depending on what it added to Misaki's hand… "I add the power to Rendgal and draw one card." Four cards in Misaki's hand now, Kourin wondered if her image could overcome that boundary. "I now attack with Rendgal, boosted by my other Rendgal for a total power of 22000."

"No guard." It was only one critical, it couldn't finish her off now. "Damage check." Oh ho, she managed to get Dedicated Jewel Knight Tabitha; now Misaki was going to have to face the power of her Draw Trigger. "I draw one card." Kourin gazed down at the Leading Knight Salome she'd just drawn; now just one more piece, and her image would be complete.

"I end my turn." Misaki now had a full-on smile on her face. "All right Kourin, show me what your deck is really capable of."

Oh, she would all right. "I stand and draw." Yes, she managed to get exactly the card she needed, her vision of victory was complete. "The unchanging light of determination longer than eternity! Lead me! I Break Ride Leading Jewel Knight Salome!" A pillar of light hammered the ground, and Kourin's most powerful unit took to the field, a gleaming and glimmering warrior wielding an absolutely beautiful sword in both hands. "Salome gains 10000 power and plus one critical, and then I counterblast 2 to search my deck for any Jewel Knight and Superior Call it to the field." Kourin felt it, felt the rush of energy coursing through her veins; when was the last time she'd felt this? "I Superior Call Fellowship Jewel Knight Tracie in place of my Stinging Jewel Knight Sherrie, then I activate Tiffany's effect and put her into the soul to increase the power of two of my Rear Guard Jewel Knights by 3000 each. I choose Tracie and Prizme." Tiffany vanished while Kourin's other units surged with strength. "I counterblast 2, and Superior call another Jewel Knight Prizme behind Salome, and activate its effect to discard Rachelle and draw one card." Good, another Ulien; by this point, she was practically guaranteed at least one Trigger, if not two. "Finally, I call Swordsman of the Explosive Flames Palamades in place of the Tracie that I did not use Tiffany's effect on." Fire, fire was barely restrained now, where was all this passion coming from?

Misaki just smiled, her cards raised and ready to be used to defend herself. "I now attack Gordon with Tracie, and boost for a total power of 20000." With that, Misaki would have to use a shield of 15000 to keep Gordon around, literally more than it was worth.

"No Guard." Now, now this time Gordon would not interfere.

"I attack with Saome, activating my Limit Break." Kourin felt the sword in her hands. "When I attack and there are at least four Jewel Knights in my rear guard, I gain 2000 power and plus one critical, and after being boosted by Prizme, Salome's power rises to a total of 29000." Twin drive, she could get as high as 39000, and Misaki knew this, a three critical at this point would be nigh impossible to survive, to say nothing if she managed to get a Blazing Jewel Knight Rachelle and the attending additional critical trigger. Thus, in order for Misaki to be safe from certain defeat…

"I guard with Elaine, Rendgal, Govannon, and Epona." Yes, a total 30000 shield on top of Sanctuary Guard Dragon's 11000 power, that made for 41000, impossible for Salome to get past; what was more, it showed that even if Misaki held back to the minimum defense possible, she wouldn't be able to guard against Palamades's attack.

"Twin Drive, first check." Dogmatize Jewel Knight Sybill. "Second check." Dedicated Jewel Knight Tabitha; nice, but not necessary. "I add the power to Palamades and draw one card." Kourin didn't even bother to check which card it was, she just directed Palamades, invigorated by the way he swung those swords of his. "Palamades is boosted by Prizme, bringing it to a total power of 28000."

"No guard." Misaki had nothing to guard with. "Damage check." Would it be another Elaine? "My last Rendgal." The sixth card entered Misaki's damage zone.

The two young women just stood across the table from each other, looking each other in the eye. They did not notice the arrival of Aichi, Naoki, and Shingo, and thus were unaware of Aichi's flustered blush, Naoki's confused blinking, and Shingo's frantic efforts to pull them away to give the girls their privacy.


End file.
